Commode



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Patented Dec. 22, 1891.-

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OOMMODE.

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ISAIAH \V. SYLVESTER, OF PASSAIO, NElV JERSEY.

COMMODE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,569, dated December 22, 1891.

Application filed March 19, 1891. Serial No. 385,700. (No model.)

To all whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I,ISAIAH W. SYLvEs'rER, of

for some length of time without objectionable vision and odors.

part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a View of the commode as it stands ready for use, and it will be observed that it consists of an upper part A, containing a vertical moving seat 0, in the rear of which is an air-chamber a, all resting upon a lower part B, which is the receiver of the fzeces and urine. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of both upper and lower parts. Fig. 3 is a front view showing two springs d (Z, holding the seatboard in position. Fig. 4 isa vertical section showing two ends of two horizontal shutters f f, one of two V-shaped projections 6, two

weights 1' 2', hanging to arms projecting from the shutters, all immediately beneath the seathole, and in the corner of the lower part B a partition 19 Fig. 5 is a horizontal section showing the upper end of partition W, a stopcock h, entering into the corner made by partition b and a stopcock b placed near' the bottom for cleaning purposes.

The commode, as represented in Fig. 1, is box-shaped; but it may be constructed in any suitable form or dimension. I construct it of wood, and to prevent fzeces or other decomposable materials from entering into the pores of the wood, as well as to preserve the wood itself, I line or coat the inside of the lower part B with coal-tar. This lower part B is shown in all of the figures, and is the receptacle of the freces and urine. At one corner of B, I place a partition 17 which cuts off a small space and extends vertically to within about an inch (more or less) of the top and the bottom of B. The upper end of this partition b is seen in Fig. 5. A cool: h opens on the inside of the space out off by partition Z2 which cock is located twelve to eighteen inches from the bottom of B. It is for the purpose of drawing oif the superabundant liquid with whatever the liquid may contain in solution whenever the liquid shall have arisen above the molds level. The partition 1) serves sev- The following is a de scriptlon of the same, reference being had to the drawings herewith annexed and made aeral purposes. It keeps the paper and insoluble portion of the faeces, due, within the body of the commode and from clogging the outlet h. It compels the water and urine to pass down and under its lower end before reaching the outlet h,in order that as it does so all floating materials may be left on the top of the water-column, while those things that may be heavier than water may fall to and remain on the bottom of B, only the water and whatever it may contain in solution passing down and then up between the partition I) and the corner of B to the outlet h, from whence it can be taken for fertilizing purposes as often as may be desired. This partition is shown in Figs. 2, el, and 5, and taken in connection with outlet It enables one to The upper part A is made removable from the lower part B at pleasure,it simply sitting upon 13 when in use, the joint being made as tight as possible by being made smooth, and l the whole kept in place by the side beading a I2 In this upper top part is sunk a movable frame, to which is attached the board in which the seat-hole is made.

The seat-hole board and seat-hole c and c, the frame 1) b the shutters f f, and V-shaped projections e e are shown in Figs. 2 and 4,

An air-chamber a is situated in the top of A immediately in the rear of the seat-hole, which air-chamber is designed to connect the interior of the commode with any ordinary house-chimney flue or other ventilating apparatus by means of tin piping a about two inches in diameter.

The seat-hole c is made in a board which is fastened to a rectangular frame 1) b fitted into the top of A, so as to move freely but snugly in a vertical direction. The seat-hole board is made a little longer and broader than the frame, and two springs (Z d, fitted between the front projection of the seat-hole board and the top of A, (see Figs.'1, 2, and 3,) hold the front son sits upon the seat-hole the springs 61 dare so adjusted as to yield to the persons weight and the frame and seat-board fall an inch or more, or until the seat-hole strikes suitably-adjusted rests placed at the sides and between the seat-board and the top of A.

' These springs may be placed at the sides, if

'V-shaped projections e e=,Fi gs.2 and 4.

preferred, and may be of any appropriate form. When the person using the commode rises, the springs d d immediately carry the trainee and seat-board c to its original positron. Afall of an inch or more is thns s'ec'uied", and I utilize this fall by making the front ehdof th'e'ifjrame'b impinge on two horizontal shutters ff, hu n g on the under sideof the top of A and immediately beneath the seat-hole,one-shutterbeing hung on each side of the seat-hole,-and both so adjnste'das' to close toward each other until their points meet and the two ends of each shutter strike two V-shaped projections, pointed downward and fastened on the under side of the top ofAfl These shutters ff are at right angles with the Ihe 'shi'ltters would hang perpendicularly but for weightswhich I use in preference to springs, although suitably-adjusted springs may be n'sed,whi'oh weights are hang to arms extendin g at right-- angles from the sides of the shutters hear that edge of the shutter that is hinged to" the top of A. These weights and aims i '5 are seen in Fig. 4. The arms extend at a right angle from the shutter to a point two to four inches beyond the pointon the under part of the top A to which the shutters are hinged; or, in other words, the fulcrumpoi-n't am the weights are of such gravity as to move the shutters from their otherwise perpendicular position to an inclined position an to the position at which the ends strike the two v-shape'a projections e e,- one of these Vshaped projections being at the rearend of the seat-hole and one at the front end. The opening below the seat=l1ole is then closed by the action of the weights.

At each of the lower front corners of the frame b I place a smallwhe'el g, which, when the frame is at its most elevated posit-ion,

just impinges on the shutters as they are held by the weights against the Vshaped projections. They are placed there to save abrasion and to make the opening and closing of the shutters easy. As the frame I) is pressed down by the weight of the person using the commode, the wheels revolve against the shutters and compel them to open by overcoming the gravity of the weights. As long'as the seat-hole board and frame is held down to its lowest position the shutters remain open and the commode is made usable. Whenthe fram-eraises, the pressure of the wheels against the shutters is relieved by the upward tendency of the springs 01 d, and the gravity of the weights it closes the shutters against the V-shaped projections; Hence when a person is actually using the commode the sh rtters remain open; but when such person leaves the seat the springs d d raise the frameand seat -hole, and the horizontal shutters are closed so" quickly by the weights that attuns'ightly visions of fecal matter arejc'ut on: before a person can turn around and tool; at it. The upper'pait of the commode A s made deep enough to permit it to hold the shutters, frame, 850., and these are therefore easily re. moved, togetherwith the air-chambers, and kept by themselves whenever it may be desir'ab'le to remove Band cleanse it. w I

The following featu res in my commod tend both to diminish the'pjro'duc'tion of foul odors and theirescape intoth-e' room: first, the submergerrce of the fae'ces beneath the water and urine; second, the use of any city disinfectii'ghter than water hat may be" kept on the top of the column of liquid in B; third, to the Ventilation through the air-chamber a and pipe 0.,- and, fourth, to the automatic shutters ff, which keep the seat-hole closed when the commode is notact many being nsed.

I elaim as my invention- The combination of the movable frame b with the seat-board attached, operated i'n a vertical direction by the springs d d or their equivalent, the V-sh'a'pe'd projections e e, and the shutters f f, so adjusted as tooloseagainst the V-s'haped projections e e by force ofthe weights 71 tor their equivalent in springs and to open by the downward motion of the frame 17, impinging on their Sides.

I ISAIAH W. SYLVESTER. Witnesses GEO. R. C'oMiNes, H. G. TORREY. 

